Across the Universe
by aranea-hi-ghwind
Summary: Looking back on it, Noctis probably shouldn't have made an illegal right turn. Then again, the busted lip and dented bumper were worth meeting Lightning Farron and her irresistible truffles.
1. 1

**Edit: I fixed a text format issue.**

 **Author's Note: my intense love for this ship will and cannot ever die. Short, sweet, possibly saucy drabbles? It's gonna be good, maybe. I dunno.**

* * *

 _"Are you fucking_ blind?!"

* * *

Noctis could not describe to his friends how terrifying his afternoon had been when he had decided to get driving experience. (There was no justice in being the Prince and having to beg your own advisor for permission to drive your own car.) Prompto was particularly tickled when the prince had recanted his first accident and was nearly mauled by a woman in a beige winter coat with a red scarf and bright pink hair. He had a war wound to prove it, too—a lovely busted lip from the result of being slapped too hard.

"No way, I can't believe you let a girl beat you up, Noct!" The blonde clutched at his stomach, absolutely tickled by the thought of Noctis being slapped by some angry middle-aged mom.

"I wasn't trying to get anyone in trouble since," he mumbled under his breath, "technically Ignis didn't approve my request to take the Regalia..."

Prompto laughed harder at that, "I can't believe you actually took the car. I think my influence is rubbing off."

Noctis and Prompto had been standing in the garage and what had started off as trying to hide an accident from mom (Ignis) and dad (Regis) had quickly turned to Prompto making fun of Noctis for getting "beat up". Noctis sighed in defeat as he continued to look at the crumpled bumper of the Regalia—he was going to be killed, slowly and painfully. No way would Ignis ever let him touch the Regalia ever again. It was Noctis's car, technically but, try explaining that to Ignis, Mom of the fucking century.

A gloved hand rested on the solemn prince's shoulder, "Oh man, you're gonna die.

"I...could go to Cindy, do you think she'll fix it without telling Ignis?"

"Ha! Are you joking? Of course, she'll keep it a secret—the true problem is that Iggy's stare can weasel the truth outta anyone."

"This wouldn't have happened if that woman had given me the proper space between our cars. Doesn't the world know how to drive?"

Prompto playfully tapped Noctis's cheek with the back of his hand, "Noct, my sweet summer child, how are you still so blind? The world doesn't revolve around, Your Highness."

Noctis swiped at the blonde and Prompto evaded his swatting. "I know it doesn't. I'm just saying that people don't know how to drive."

Prompto ran a gloved hand through his hair and tsk's at the damaged car. His blue eyes squinted into confusion, "I don't even know why you bother driving when Iggy is around. You never have to lift a finger when he goes into Mom-mode."

Noctis's face contorted into a pout of sorts, one that happened when he was frustrated. His somewhat cool demeanor left his features and a childish frown replaced it. He hated to be reminded of how much Ignis (and Cor and Gladiolus and the servants) assisted him in his daily life. There was never a need for Noctis to put forth any effort, all he had to do was sit there and look absolutely stunning. Though, Noctis just couldn't live with such a life, could he? He just had to be the trouble child.

Prompto snorted again, sliding a finger across the white paint of the other car that had crushed the Regalia's bumper. "Man, you're fucked."

Noctis sneered, "Tell me about it."


	2. 2

**Author's Note: Thanks to relear for reviewing, you're the sweetest**.

* * *

Two things had effectively dampened her mood today.

One, she was frustratingly late to her own birthday.

And two, she had crashed into some idiot and he refused to even apologize for ramming right into her while he made an illegal right turn. He obviously didn't understand what "right of way" meant.

She could still feel the sting of her palm when she slapped his face so hard his lip started to bleed. He deserved it, especially since he was so damn adamant in not wanting to exchange insurances or numbers or any legalities.

For Etro's sake, the man didn't even want to tell her his name!

So, she attempted to plaster the calmest expression on her sharp features and enter Serah's home. Snow was the first person to greet her with a hug (against her will, I might add) and then, her sweet, doe-eyed sister. "Light, are you okay? You seem frustrated..."

Well, so much for faking it.

Lighting grabbed her bangs after Snow released his bear hug. "I had a small fender bender on my way—"

Immediately Serah's expression turned into concern and she started feeling Lightning's forehead and arms, "Are you hurt? Are you alright? Light, why didn't you call me?"

"Serah, I'm fine. It was a small. The guy's car took most of the damage, I'm fine. My car's a little dinged up but—"

"You got his number? Insurance? You took pictures of the accident?" Serah's mood was shifting dramatically and then she said, "I hope you beat the crap outta the guy that did it, Light."

Lightning rolled her eyes at her sister's insistence on overreacting about the smallest details. Instead of elaborating on the details of this accident that was handled incorrectly. Had she not been in such a rush, Lightning would've demanded and secured legal information regarding the incident. "Look, Serah, let's just have dinner, I'll handle the situation later."

"When did the Great Lightning Farron become such a passive person?" Snow laughed out loud as he walked with the two pink haired women to the kitchen.

Lightning's eyebrow twitched, "How about I shove my fist down your throat?"

"I spoke too soon," the large man shrunk down at her usual irritation. He added, with as much of his ego intact, "It's always nice to have you visit, Sis."

"You really want to die, Snow," Lightning responded. Serah was too worried about Lightning and her accident to stop her.

Distracted thoughts turned into spoken word as Serah said, "Are you sure your not going to find out the person who hit you? I mean, it's only right that you do. They hit you, right?"

Lightning knew her sister was not going to drop the topic, "Alright, I'll find whoever did it. If that'll get you to stop worrying, Serah."

"It will."

"You know what helps me not to worry? Cake," Snow added.

"Truly, it is a wonder how you're not the size of a barn," Lightning snorted. Serah giggled and Snow died a little inside.


	3. 3

****Author's Note: whoa you would not believe the week I just had. But I won't let it affect the idea I have for this. Again thanks for reading!****

* * *

It may have been a week but, Lightning Farron had eventually found the very same vehicle that had so recklessly dinged her front bumper. She had been on her way back to her own apartment after work and she needed gas. She'd have missed if had her sweet tooth suddenly ached for Skittles. The pinkette ripped open the red bag as she returned to her white car, only to catch sight of the same black car that had ruined her day. It wasn't a car that a person could forget.

The sweetness in her mouth turned bitter and Lightning scowled.

Shoving the bag of Skittles in her apron pocket, she marched over to the black vehicle, malicious intent in her eyes. The rapid knock on the limo tinted windows was clearly not enough to warrant the response of a window rolling down, so Lightning resorted to good old fashioned threats. "I know you're in there so make it easy for the both of and—"

"What are you doing?" A voice, tinged with an accent of a most proper upbringing drifted to her ears. She stood straight to find brown hair and wire rimmed glasses accompanied some man in a fine suit. He looked nothing like the man that had hit her. That man had looked like he woke up in 2006 and never stopped rocking the scene haircut.

Quickly recovering from being caught off guard, Lightning crossed her arms, "It's none of your concern."

He walked forward, smooth, gliding steps and procured a small black device from his coat's pocket. He clicked it and the car's light's flashed for a moment and the locks clicked. "For your information, it's all of my concern, since you happen to be hovering over my vehicle." She stepped back but her gaze was no less harsh. He stepped between the car and the gas pump, opening the fuel cover door and cap in a fluid motion, pulling out a nozzle, selecting the highest grade and inserting the nozzle. He seemed to remain unaffected by her icy stare. "Now, is there a problem?"

"Are you sure this is your car?" Lightning pointed a bandaged finger in the direction of the black vehicle. (The cut happened at work, a careless mistake on her part.)

He rolled his eyes behind square spectacle, "Of course, why else would I have the keys?"

Lightning narrowed her eyes, unappreciative of his tone, "Was anyone else using this car last week?"

He sighed, lifting a hand under his frames to rub the bridge of her nose, "Look, Miss, I'm afraid no one had access to this car. I don't know why it matters and I would kindly ask if you would leave me be."

Unfortunate for the stranger, Lightning was not the type to walk away from a situation. "This isn't a common type of car, is it?"

The man flashed his gaze up to her electric blues, he was cautious in the way he answered. She was far too calm now. "No...it's not."

The woman shrugged, "I would expect it is hard to find a replacement for any damages to the car if you had wrecked it."

It was his to turn to narrow his eyes, "What are you insinuating, exactly?"

The click of the gas pump was his answer. Lightning's eyes flickered down to the front bumper and had she not seen the car prior with her carefully trained eyes, she'd have missed it too. But, she made it painfully obvious as she went to look at the man before her, seeing his expression change in an instant. The brunette zeroed in on the bumper and there it was, the most subtle of color differences. She spoke, pulling him from his realization, "Last week, this same vehicle hit my car. The driver gave me an apology but, apologies don't pay my bills. Now, are you sure no one had access to those keys?"

The brunette's eye twitched ever so slightly, "What would you say the driver looked like?"

With a smug smirk, she gladly explained. His face reached unknown shades of crimson very shortly afterwards.


	4. 4

**Author's Note: okay, I'm going to say it now and warn you all. I may decide to up the rating later because there may be a time when smut is appropriate but also, I may just put it in a separate story so as to not distract from the fluff. I'll let you know when the time approaches which isn't for awhile sadly. Thank you again for reading!**

* * *

Fang, every time she waltzed in and loitered around the small shop, found it funny how the woman who'd been a prominent military mind settled for an apron and slightly smaller set of knives. The dark haired woman couldn't judge too much since she'd regularly switch occupation like clothing. It never failed to make Fang laugh when Lightning would get flustered about some pastry not exactly working the way she needed it to work. It was funny to think Lightning could cook at all, let alone make sweet treats for the people of Insomnia.

Fang's feet were coolly propped up on one of the small cafe's tables and her hands were settled in her lap, as she watched Lightning roll out dough. "So, Sunshine, what happened to your car?"

Lightning's eyes glinted with annoyance, "Etro, don't get me started. That has been a week long ordeal and right now I'd rather not think of it."

Curious now, Fang's eyebrows shot up, "A week? What'd the poor bastard do?"

Lightning summed up the whole of finding the car and it's owner and only to find out the owner's friend had borrowed his car and crashed into her. So, legally, it was going to be a hot mess. Lightning had at least gotten away with a name and number: _Ignis Sciencia._

He seemed far more responsible than the scene kid she'd crashed into last week. The pinkette flipped the dough over on the tabletop. "I just want them to pay for my car's damage but, it's starting to get to the point where I'm just going to pay for it—"

Fang snapped her fingers, "Nah, the dope hit you, they gotta pay. Simple as that."

Lightning rolled her eyes. If only it was simple. It was beginning to become tedious and annoying. She was sick of seeing the dent and she wouldn't hear the end of Serah's worrying if she didn't figure it all out.

"Uh, hey, um, Light, there's someone on the phone for you," a small voice from behind Lightning peeped up. Upon turning around, it was just Hope, who'd kindly taken up a part-time job as cashier for the shop. He'd been working on the weekends and after school when he could. "I got in just now from the side door and the phone was ringing..." He explained, pointing over his shoulder. She wiped her hands on her apron and thanked him.

Fang wiggled her fingers in a greeting to the snowy haired teen. He waved back and returned to back room to change. Lightning entered her small office and saw the phone laying next to the receiver. She pressed it to her ear, "Lightning Farron speaking, who may I ask is calling?"

A shuffling and a muffled set of voices seemed to be arguing on the other side, making Lightning cringe in confusion. Finally, a breathless and clearly irate voice sounded, "Um, sorry, this is Prompto Argentum, you probably won't remember me but, I um, I was the one who'd hit you the other day and I just wanted to apologize—"

"Ah, so your friend got you to fess up?"

"Huh? Ignis? I wouldn't exactly call him my friend—that's not the point, I would like to pay for any damages to your car and apologize again," he regurgitated the last bit like he'd been reading a piece of paper. It was the most insincere and poorly executed apology someone could have produced through a telephone.

"No," Lightning responded.

"Huh? What d'you mean 'no'?" The voice on the other end answered back. She could practically see the sheen of the gel in his styled hair loosing its luster as she knocked him off his little Doc Martin clad feet. And not in the romantic sense.

"I mean, I don't want a half-assed apology through the phone. Apologize to me in person. Your friend should have my card." She said nothing more and nothing less as she set the phone back on the hook. She stood by invade he decided to call back but, after a few moments of silence, she decided to return to work.

Lightning quickly washed her hands and dried them, returning to the front of the store where Hope and Fang were engaged in light conversation. Fang acknowledged her return first, "Who was it?"

"Oh, the idiot who couldn't drive."

"That's great, what did he say?"

"He apologized over the phone and offered to pay for the damages."

Hope scribbled down the amount of money in the register on a piece of paper and asked, "You don't sound as relieved as most people would?"

"That's because I refused."

Fang hit her hand against the tabletop, "Light!"

"Fang!" She rebutted sarcastically, going back to the dough.

"You're ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Honestly, kid, I don't know how you work with this woman," Fang said to Hope. Hope out up his hands as a sign of neutrality in the situation.

"I'm not being ridiculous. I just think he should be a bit more respectful and apologize in person, rather than insincerely do it over the phone and hide his face."

Fang rolled her eyes, "Whatever flys your airship, Sunshine."

"You better wipe that table off before you leave," Lightning but her chin in the direction of Fang's table where her feet currently rest.

"Ugh."

"I'll give you a truffle."

Fang sighed before giving a smirk, "This is the reason I stick around—for those heaven sent chocolates..."

* * *

 **End Note: if you are confused, Light operates a pastry/chocolate shop because I have this head cannon that she can't cook but, damn does she make a bomb ass chocolate truffle and tiramisu.**

 **And yes, Noctis was the one that called. But, he can't possibly say his name is the Crown Prince's name, can he? (Oh, look how Ignis made him call her on the phone to apologize like he's a little kid.)**


	5. 5

**Author's Note: It's longer than the others, woo! And now Noctis and Lightning are interacting. This chapter is mostly from Prompto's POV because I love that guy and I threw in Lumina because she is precious to me. Also, I promise you will get more Lightis action as the story progresses but, patience patience patience.**

* * *

Of course, Noctis had to hit the most stubborn woman in all of Insomnia. Why couldn't this girl be happy with him paying for the damages?

He shoved his coat on, ruffled his hair in frustration and waited for Ignis to get the keys he had hidden from Noctis. (Oh yeah, that was a fun talk. Ignis scolded him for an hour without so much as a water break for either parties. It was actually insane how much that man could talk compared to how many breaths he took. It was almost inhuman.)

And so, they were headed to Café Valhalla.

It didn't take long for a wild Prompto to appear from out of the blue, completely nonchalant in saying, "So, I hear you're going to a cafe."

Noctis didn't even have to ask, he just told his blonde haired friend to get in the car. Ignis rolled his eyes and the three set off. Prompto buckled himself in, "Oh man, he isn't going to be so _glad_ we left without him!"

The blonde snapped his fingers into finger-guns and smile wide, awaiting the applause and laughter. None came, just deafening silence. (And you could practically hear the crickets chirping...)

"How are we even friends?" Noctis rubbed his face at how funny Prompto thought himself to be. "Please try not to be so loud at the place. I'm going there for business, not to eat everything in sight and make a fool of myself."

Prompto clasped his hands together, "But, c'mon, Noct, you won't let me have just one thing...please?"

Ignis piped up, "You don't deserve anything, you freeloader."

"Freeloader?! Iggy, you wound me!" He clutched his chest, feigning a pained expression.

"If you insist on calling me _that_ , I _will_ wound you—grievously so," Ignis rebutted with the same stern tone he used on Noctis when they were younger. The infamous (and secretly) named Mom Voice. Prompto pouted the rest of the car ride.

Ignis, the worry wart that he proudly was, parked behind the building and decided that calmly entering from the rear entrance was the safest and smartest option for Noctis. "Your Highness, please, make this as painless as possible," he commented while exiting the car.

Noctis got out the same time Prompto did, "I didn't even want to come here in the first place, trust me when I say I'm not trying to drag it out for longer than it needs to be."

"Oh, c'mon, we're not gonna eat _anything_? Did you guys know this shopping district has the best little businesses in all of town? You can't possibly expect me to not want something!" Prompto threw his hands up in a flourish of exasperation and emphasis on their surroundings. "You both are such buzz kills, y'know?"

"We came here to make amends, not feed you."

* * *

Prompto grumbled under his breath and crossed his arms. Ignis readjusted his glasses and coat before walking up the two concrete steps leading to the door. It had a little faded logo of a chubby faced Eidolon from a storybook. It appeared to be Odin, albeit much less intimidating than historically thought to be, and his white cape flowed behind him, serving background to the cursive lettering of _Café Valhalla_ in pastel pink and red. He knocked three times.

* * *

"Light! I think the sugar delivery guy is here!" A disembodied voice trailed to her office as she hastily scribbled on some papers. She was caught up in some paperwork (Ah, yes, that blasted accident was causing her insurance rates to go up and she had to painfully fill out an accident report...)

"Can you get it, Hope?" She yelled her response back.

Another face, another one of her employees, rounded and bright (and slightly offended) popped their head into her office's open door, "It's Lumina, Ms. Farron, and I have to take out my croissants before they burn."

Lightning rolled her eyes. She sometimes wondered why she ever hired a bunch of teenagers to do her dirty work. Well, actually, no they work tirelessly for cheap and never complained when the smell of baked goods permanently embedded itself onto their clothes. They were also the least annoying teens she knew to date. She dusted herself off and got to her feet, flicking the girl on the forehead gently, like the strict and stern boss that she was, "Go get your croissants before they burn, then." (You have to assert yourself when you employ teenagers who know they can get away with murder in your eyes.)

She made her way to the back door and opened it, surprised to see exactly the opposite of the sugar delivery guy. "Oh, you actually showed up?" She crossed her arms and smirked knowingly at the dark haired man standing just at the base of the steps. He was accompanied by Ignis and some nameless blonde, whom was pouting like nobody's business near that damned car.

"Yes, and I would like to get that apology over and done with so we can talk about the damages—"

"Well, c'mon then, I don't want to stand out here and talk, I have things I have to do inside."

* * *

Prompto Argentum had many weaknesses. Chocobos, puppies, kittens, Apple cider, the small of a girl's back, Ignis's cooking, cheap hair spray and chocolate chip cookies.

So imagine his luck when Noctis had said they were going to a cafe to apologize to the owner for the car wreck. He had jumped to the opportunity, seeing how he might possibly be able to weasel out something yummy on his behalf. It had been a shaky start when they arrived and the owner herded them all into her office like cattle but, the smells around them were making up for it quickly.

His sensitive little nose picked up on freshly baked bread, chocolates, sweets unknown and a whole lot of flour. His mouth was watering.

Noctis, on the other hand, didn't like sweet things. He enjoyed the bitter tastes in life—coffee, dark chocolate (with cocoa above 75%), and grapefruit. So, the appalling amount of sugar in the air, hitting his taste buds as he talked make him wince. Ignis and taken up standing by the door while Lightning leaned on her desk and Noctis sat down in a nearby chair. Prompto was halfway out of the office, looking around at the kitchen.

The blonde haired gunslinger slipped out of the office almost unnoticed because he wasn't too interested in apologies and business and blah blah blah. He followed his nose to the source of the strongest aroma and found himself hovering over a tray of freshly baked, flakey, golden delicious—

"Hey! You aren't supposed to be back here!" A high-pitched screech halted his hands from grabbing one. He whipped his head around to find the person in the way of his self-satisfaction. There before him was a small, pink-haired girl (possibly one of the owner's employees slash sister?) she was clad in an apron and a black t-shirt with the logo on the front. Yep, a worker. "We're you going to take one of these?" She pointed, hurriedly rushing towards her croissants like a protective mother to her cubs.

"Uh, no?" He put his hand behind his head and laughed, masking his guilt at being caught re-handed.

"Yeah, you were! Don't lie!"

"I was just looking!"

"Liar!"

"Put that rolling pin down!"

"Admit it!"

"Seriously—"

"C'mon!"

Prompto crossed his arms, "Fine, I was gonna take one."

Lumina narrowed her blue eyes at him, "I knew it!"

"Well, if you _knew,_ why'd you ask?"

" _The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities_ ," she recited. "Plus, you knew these weren't yours, why didn't _you_ ask? _"_

The blonde looked at the pink haired teen and smirked, "Can I have one, miss?"

Before he got his answer, a harsh, "Prompto! What're you doing?"

He whipped his head in Ignis's direction, Lumina followed the sound as well. She was still wielding her rolling pin. Lightning had gotten up to inspect the ruckus as well. Noctis wasn't too far behind in his own mild curiosity. "Lumina, what are you doing with that rolling pin?"

"Uh? This? Oh, rolling...dough?" She offered as an alibi but, it didn't take a genius to know that was a lie. One long look at the situation and all was very self-explanatory.

"Go help Hope in the front, Lumina," Lightning's eyebrow twitched. Lumina mock-saluted and hurried past Prompto, passing him with a stuck-out tongue. Prompto scoffed and pointed in offense.

"Hey!"

Ignis glared.

Lightning approached the tray and picked one up, "Here, you can have one."

It was like she was the savior of an entire world. In that moment, she was a goddess. As she handed Prompto the deliciously warm bread, he swore she took on the appearance of an angel. He thanked her profusely. She cringed at his overly grateful clinging.

She pushed him off of her, crossing her arms, "I don't have much of a choice, do I anyways? You're friends with Pretty Boy, right?"

Noctis opened his mouth to say something but, Primpto beat him to it, "Of course, he and I go waaaaay back!"

"I see," she pulled her lips into a thin line. "Well, I suppose it's better than nothing since I slapped royalty."

Prompto, mouth full of croissant, gave Ignis and Noctis a quizzical look, "You tolgd gher?"

"No, not exactly," Noctis answered. Ignis crossed his arms and avoided eye contact. "Ignis sort of...slipped up."

With a large gulp, he began smiling wide, crumbs all around his lips, "Iggy! You? Slipping up? Oh my—oh! Hey! You...you aren't freaking out?" He pointed his hand at Lightning. She slapped—nay, drew blood from the Crown Prince—and was offering baked goods? She wasn't even phased. She also seemed less than apologetic.

"What? I'm not stupid. I figure you guys want this hush hush, since he lied about his name on the phone and came in through the back. Why would I go and freak out about someone just because they have a fancy title? I just want my car fixed."

Noctis shrugged, fine with that answer, too. Prompto was just so flabbergasted.

Then, a pair of voices over his shoulder started to whisper, "The Prince!"

"Shhh, be quiet, Hope."

"I am. What's happening? I can't see because of your big head."

"Shh, they will hear—they aren't talking now..."

"Lumina! Hope!" Lightning closed her eyes, agitated now.

They duo ran in far too quickly. Lumina staring coyly at the dark haired man, Hope nervous in their boss's irate aura. "Yes, Boss!"

"A word, please?"

The two employees cringed and followed her off to a corner of the kitchen. Ignis glared at Prompto scarfing down the croissant.

Lightning tapped her foot, "I expect you two to be quiet about this."

"Yes, Light!" Hope agreed.

The pink haired teen, however, a mischievous glint to her eyes, smirked, "Yes, Boss."

Lightning returned back to the three men. It was just a matter of signing some legal, and "hush-up" papers and Light would have them out of her hair. They'd already asked if she would meet them at the castle to fully and formally discuss the legal terms of the situation without distraction.

The only request Prompto had was more food.


	6. 6

****Author's Note: it's short but, I promise I will try to get some more chapters up this weekend. My dad's coming to visit and I might be a bit preoccupied with family outings and such but, I will try to get at least two more chapters up. This thing is gonna be 100 chapters by the way because technically it's inspired by a 100 word prompt but, very very loosely.****

* * *

It wasn't a full twenty-four hours before word traveled around Lightning's fairly close knit friend and family unit. She'd not even been able to reach her bed, ready to get any sleeping in before she had to wake up again tomorrow, before Serah's picture flashed on caller ID. Lightning gave her sister the benefit of the doubt, hoping it was something important, something urgent—

"You got into a car accident with someone famous?!"

Lightning was completely aware Serah was young and still starstruck about celebrities, and the fact that Lucis had a mafia-monarchy type situation only fueled Serah's thirst for tabloid drama. Her older sister, albeit interested in the working of Lucis's government, was not as enthralled about whether or not the Prince was _totally dating Lunafreya Nox Fleuret._ Thus, the reason for her inability to recognize some pretty boy royal before slapping him hard. Royal or not, to Lightning, he was just another incompetent driver that needed to be stopped.

She gripped her bangs and sighed, "It seems that way, Serah."

"Light! You saw him in person— _the_ Crown Prince?" Serah was probably twirled her ponytail with on finger, giddy with the news that her sister was within an arm's length away from the future of the country's leadership. "Was he as handsome as the pictures—Light! You slapped him! Oh, you apologized, right? I mean, he deserved it but, you still—"

"Serah," Lightning interrupted. "Please, I'm trying to sleep. I promise I'll tell you all the riveting details tomorrow. I'm just really exhausted."

"Oh, right," Serah's voice calmed. "I'm sorry, I was just—"

"Excited? I know," Lightning smiled a little at her little sister's ability to take them back to high school days when Serah would hopelessly fawn over every cute boy. She was a troublesome girl for Lightning to look after since she had that youthful, cute look all those thirsty, crusty boys listed after. (She had to shoo away a few off the property with a broom once.) "Go to bed."

"Okay, Light. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Not too early, please."

"Of course. Love you."

"Love you, too." Lightning mumbled, suddenly bashful about the whole thing. She wasn't ever comfortable saying it over the phone even if she meant it to her sister. It always brought out the giggles in Serah, though. The sisters hung up and Lightning fell asleep soon after.

She dreamt of Princes on black steeds, and giant, talking cream puffs.


	7. 7

**I was trying to write for Liebestruame, but life kept getting in the way and I am now rewriting the ending of chapter 12 so I needed to look at something else before I punched my computer into non-existence. Also I want to write fluff right now, not angst.**

 **(now if only I can find my outline for this story and figure out where the heck I was taking it….?) here is...this, whatever this is lol**

* * *

When Lightning (and company) had settled in Lucis, she never told anyone why she had chosen Insomnia in particular. In fact, it had made little sense to Serah, who prided herself on knowing Lightning best, as to what had made her choose a gloomy cityscape instead of somewhere near the ocean that would have been like Bodhum. Lightning would not dare tell anyone that she had fallen in love with the architecture of Insomnia—something about the old stone buildings mingling among the tall modern skyscrapers. Her favorite had been the Lucis citadel, and sometimes she'd take the long way home just to catch a glimpse of the ancient building that had somehow remained untouched by time. She'd never actually been inside to see what it looked like, but she was content with the view from the outside.

Lightning was no stranger to excitement considering her military background and now here she was, walking up the steps of the palace, heading to meet some snot-nosed Prince and his advisor to come to a legal agreement regarding the dent on her bumper.

 _Ah, life was truly mysterious._

This ex-Sergeant had battled monsters far bigger than anything she'd seen in Lucis, but was now carrying a plastic tupperware of freshly baked goods as a way of breaking the tension over a fender-bender.

Lightning didn't want to be known; she didn't want to be anything more than just... _Lightning_. She wanted this mess to get over with, so that she could return to the shop and not have to worry about Lumina and Hope burning the place down. She should've closed for the day, now that she was really thinking on it...

"Identification, ma'am?" A armored guard stopped her and her thoughts from continuing forward through the gate and she shifted her tupperware to one hand as she dug out her wallet from her satchel slung over her shoulders. With a raised brow, the guard gestured to the tupperware in her arms, "What's in the container?"

Understanding the caution, she uncovered the lid and explained that it was just pastries. He leaned over to check and she shook the container, jostling them around, showing that there really wasn't anything else but baked goods. Lightning sighed, "I am here to see the Prince."

The guard tilted his head in skepticism. Though, Lightning stood her ground, keeping her eye contact as she simply clarified, "He invited me here, he and his advisor, Ignis Scientia."

He radioed in for verification on her name and through the brief static she could here someone confirm her expected appearance. The guard signaled to another in the guard post station and the gate opened for her to enter. She would have brought her car, but Ignis had specifically asked her not to. Lightning remembered the advisor's warning: _"As you may be aware, the Crown is constantly being hounded by the press, and should the rumor of a strange woman privately meeting the Prince leak out, it may cause unwanted attention for all parties. Your license plate would be hand delivering your privacy over to the media on a silver platter."_

The walk helped anyhow, helped clear her mind of _negative energy_. (Serah was taking her to yoga classes on Sunday. It was, for lack of a better word, and interesting experience.) After being directed to follow the steps immediately in front of her, she mumbled a thanks and continued on. The citadel, view unhindered by the gates and other skyscrapers of the Lucian skyline was truly a sight to behold and Lightning took time to appreciate it. Her eyes were drawn to the beam of light shooting heavensward from the center of the two towers. If her memory served correctly, that was the famous Lucian crystal's doing.

 _There is probably more to it than that, but I can't remember that school field trip well enough._ It was true, Serah had needed a volunteer chaperone for her class as they visited a history museum and Lightning, like a good sister, offered. Between the bumpy bus ride and the nine-year old that threw up on her, she couldn't really enjoy the place in its entirety. (Though she did remember that the Lucian Adamantoise were thought to be extinct up until only recently when a literal mountain began shifting. That factoid kept her awake the whole bus ride back to Serah's school.)

Her attention to the towering architectural beauty waned when the sound of her shoes clacked against metal and her eyes shifted to the ground beneath her feet. She took a quick step to the right, quickly scanning around her in case she had unwittingly committed a faux pas, having just paraded all over what appeared to be some crest belonging to the current King Regis Lucis Caelum XIII. Lightning hurried along faster.

A pair of guards, less armored than the ones at the gate, and looked more like they belonged to some punk rock marching band than anything else, were standing sentinel. They eyed her as she approached, but by no means was she intimidated. It would take more than a couple of lost members of _the black parade_ to instill a sense of fear in the woman, but she was no less cautious. _Never underestimate a person's ability to fight by appearances._ One opened the door for her and the other trailed in after her, his boots clacking noisily against the tiles inside. That's when he spoke, "What's in the box?"

She didn't say anything. "Are you supposed to be an escort or something?"

"What? No, I just - wait, why? Are you see to see the King?"

She deadpanned, "No."

"Then, _no_ , I'm just walking in the same general direction it seems."

Lightning didn't know where she was going, but there was something about looking lost that irked her. "Seems awfully convenient." But, she would rather look like she had a purpose than none at all. Now, if she could just shake this straggler -

"Do you even know where _you_ are going?"

 _There goes that plan._

"No."

"So, what were you going to do? W _ander around with a suspicious box until someone helped you?_ "

"Guess so."

He placed his hands behind his back, standing tall by her side. Lightning blinked, unsure what in the hell citadel security was and how the Royal family hadn't already been taken out from the leniency of it. (But that wasn't _her_ problem.)

"What's in the box?" He said suddenly.

"Nothing."

"What's in the box, you have to tell me. If it's a bomb I'm obligated to apprehend you."

"For a -" She eyed his black uniform, "- _whatever you are_ \- you don't seem very good at your job."

" _Kingsglaive_ , and for your information, I am _very good_ at my job. So, what is in the box, huh?"

"Lightning stopped in her tracks. She slid her eyes over to the man trailing her and sighed, jutting her hip out to the side. Taking a moment she pried the plastic lid off the container and tilted the box in his direction, "It's actually poisonous."

"Now how in the hell did you get _those_ past the gate?"

"Security is _pretty_ lax." _Maybe the Royal family just has a blatant disregard for their own safety._

"Are they _really_ poisonous?"

She rolled her eyes and picked up one of the cream puffs inside. She bit into one and raised one brow, saying, _Convinced, now?_

He crossed his arms, leaning back, suspicious all the while, "How do I know you didn't just pick the one that _wasn't_ poisonous?"

"Taking a bite out of every single one defeats the purpose of bringing them in the first place."

" _Fine_ , where are you headed? I could help point you in the right direction."

"Kingsglaive, _or glorified tour guide?_ "

"Delivery girl, or _assassin_?"

"If I were an assassin, I wouldn't walk through the front door," Lightning scoffed.

The Kingsglaive snapped his fingers and pointed to temple, tapping, "See, you say that, but for all I know, you could be telling me that to throw me off your scent. Plant the seed of doubt in my mind, make me second guess myself - _the art of war_ , and all that."

"Have you ever read _The Art of War_ before?"

He was sure of himself in every sense as he waved a hand through the air. "If you get your tactical strategies from a book, you don't _really_ learn anything, though. It's more effective to actually fight a guy. Seeing someone in action is way more educational than reading about it."

Lightning scoffed, "Ah, you're one of _those types_." And he looked the part, too. Conventionally handsome, strong jaw, a sultry gaze, a charming smirk, everything one would expect of a man who disregarded one of the most meaningful pieces of literature. He very well may have walked around going " _I'm a hero, I don't need to learn from anyone else's conquests, but my own. I got this!"_

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing," She spoke shaking her head, dismissing his confusion and demands for a clarification. "It doesn't matter anyways, I'm not an assassin."

"Said the delivery girl who reads books about war strategy."

" _Not a delivery girl,_ either. I own a bakery."

"Right, and _I'm the King_ ," The Glaive sighed, "Do you have any idea where you are headed? Really, just tell me and I'll take you there."

"I came to meet with the Prince. We have _business_ to discuss."

"And it requires poisoned baked goods," He gestured to the container.

" _Not poisoned_ , and no, it doesn't."

"So, why bring them?"

"I wasn't raised in a barn. I have it in good faith that I will walk out of here with a lighter head, so _cream puffs_."

" _Make a left here_ \- I still don't get it. This explains absolutely nothing."

"Good." She turned down some corridor, and it seemed as though she would never be rid of this Kingsglaive at her side. It was equal parts distracting as it was unhelpful, but at least he wasn't being half-decent company.

"I know someone who would get a real kick out of you, _Delivery Girl._ "

" _Not a delivery girl._ "

"Right, excuse me, _assassin_ ," he corrected himself with a flourish of his hand. "Can I try one?"

"But they are poisoned, remember?"

"Gotta risk life and limb for hearth and home," he said with a smirk on his lips, his hand outstretched. She opened the box and he grabbed one of the golden puffs. He put the cream filled dough to his nose and sniffed it before poking his tongue out in a hesitant attempt to taste the puff. She shook her head, rolling her blue eyes once more at the man's obviously opaque attempts to coax a smile onto her lips. He thought he was just oozing charm - and he was - he was just so painfully obvious, it would probably have to take a hoard of garulas to squash his ego. He was almost as bad as Snow in that he had no idea when to stop.

Lightning picked up the conversation as she covered the desserts once more, "Tell me when you start to feel a burning sensation, that means the poison is working through your system -"

" _Shiva's left tit, who are you? Some kind of wizard?"_

"Come again," She cocked a brow and turned to see that the Glaive had stood solitary in the hall, a dot of cream on the corner of his mouth as he held half of the pastry in one hand. He looked to Lightning and then rushed her with the puff, shoving it into his mouth, inhaling it practically, "Gimme another."

(Which sounded more like: "Mimme enghther!")

"No, you can buy them like every other person in Insomnia," she pulled the box out of his reach and began walking faster. He followed much more quickly than she thought.

"Where did you get these?"

"I made them. Like I said, I own a bakery."

"Which one?"

"So you believe me now?"

"You're a terrible hitwoman with godly baking skills," he said. Lightning kept walking. She shook her head. There was no reason why she should prolong her trip anymore. She needed to find out where the Prince was so she could just get her hush money and be done with this entire car thing. Instead, the Glaive caught up to her, jutting a thumb over his shoulder, "Hey, Strawberry Shortcake, the Prince is that way."

Lightning glared daggers, "Don't call me that." But she brushed past him in the opposite direction.

"Gimme your name and I won't have to."

"Why? So you can stalk me more?"

"I'm Nyx Ulric, you can call me Nyx, or you can call me anytime if you want," he slid into a synchronized step with her and she couldn't help the sharp exhale of air from her nose as she witnessed his weak attempts of a pick up line.

"You'll be the first to hear if I'm interested in getting my hair braided," she humored him once more. "It's Lightning."

" _Cute_."

 _This guy..._

He turned down another hallway and stopped in front of a door, clicking his heels together and bending at the waist, he bowed, "Sleeping Beauty awaits you just beyond these doors."

"Great," she nodded. "Looks like this is my stop."

"Just doing my job." He gave an off hand salute and went to open the door for her, but he turned last minute, "One more for the road?" She gave him another cream puff. He smiled wide like a kid in a candy store before swinging the door wide open for her.

"Thanks for the company; it was truly riveting, Nyx Ulric."

"Anytime, Lightning, _anytime_."

She rolled her eyes again and walked inside. The door shut noiselessly behind her and her eyes widened.

" _What the fu -?_ "

Lightning tilted her head, lips curling downward and face flushing an ungodly shade of crimson.

 _That was not the Prince._

And women were _not_ supposed to bend _that_ way.

* * *

 **I'm pretty sure I was drunk when I outlined this story, but who knows anymore? I looked at the notes for future chapters of this story and all I can say is _what was I thinking?_ **

**Anyways, yeah, yeah, just expect everyone to be in love with everyone at some point in this story. Like honestly the end goal is Lightis, but like any rom com baker au slow burn (lol) there is always drama to be had.**

 **Next question: _who in the heck is doing the do in Noct's study?_**


End file.
